DOCSLIB.ORG

Geologic Map

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

GEOLOGIC INVESTIGATION SERIES I–2650 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Prepared for the ATLAS OF MARS: THAUMASIA REGION U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION SHEET 1 OF 3 85° 90° 80° 95° 75° VALLES NO. CRATERS LARGER CHANNEL-SYSTEM MARINERIS WESTERN VOLCANIC CIRCUM-ARGYRE CRATER THAN 2, 5, AND 16 KM Hr HNf AND PLATEAU AND HIGH-PLAINS ASSEMBLAGE SYSTEM INTEROR ASSEMBLAGE MATERIALS MATERIALS DIAMETER ° HNf 70 EOLIAN MATERIALS 100 ° DEPOSITS PER 1,000,000 KM2 THARSIS 2516 MONTES Hsu Hsl2 HNf FORMATION ° 65 Al 105 ° 40 or less HNf HNu Hsu HNr Avfs 50 c1 Avfs ° THAUMASIA 60 110 SINAI PLANUM Hr ° 60 Hsl1 cs 70 PLANUM HNr At5 Syria Planum Avfs HNf 80 c2 HNu 90 ° 55 AMAZONIAN 115 cs Avfs ° Hsu 13 Avfr 100 ° –15 –15 ° Nf Avfs Nb Nf HNr Npl Hf 2 cs Nplh At5 Hr Nfc Avfr 150 Hr c Hf 2 Npld 200 2 Hsl2 cs Hr Hf c d 1 Npld Nfd Hsl1 Npl Nfc Hsl2 2 HNr Nfc AHt3 Solis 300 50 Nb Nf Hsl AHt Nb 1 3 SYRIA Hsl1 Planum PLANUM ° d d –20 FORMATION –20 HNr ° 400 Daedalia Npl Nf 2 Hsu Nb 75 Hsl2 FRACTURED Hf 500 Nfd MATERIALS Hsl1 DISSECTED Hf AND ETCHED Hr c1 Nf Ht PLATEAU MATERIALS HIGH-PLAINS 600 100 Hsl2 HNt 2 Hf HNr Npl Ht1 SEQUENCE MATERIALS Planum Hpl3 2 Nf Hsl1 HNt 700 Nplh d Nf FLOW Hpld AND Hr HESPERIAN 800 Nfc Nf Hch CONSTRUCT c2 Nb Nf c Nfc 1 MATERIALS Hpl3 HNplt 900 150 d Npld Nf Hr Hpl3 cs Hsl1 HNt 1000 Hf HNt HNr HNcht Hsl1 d Nb c Ht2 Nb 1 HNpld HNr HNafs 1200 200 25 d Hr HNt Hpl HNf HNf HNt 3 Nb Npld –25 HNfc HNu ° Nf –25 HNt ° Nf c HNt Npld Hsl1 1 17A HNade HNf HNplt Npl2 Hf Nb Nb d HNf HNt 9A 300 75 Nfc Nf c Nfd Nplh c 1 3 Npl2 Nfd 1 Nplh AHt Nf HNf c 1 Hpl3 Nf Nfd Npld Nple 14 Nfd 10 Nb Nf Nb HNf c HNpld HNplt Nf 400 100 Nf 1 Hpl c1 cs 3 HNf c HNf 1 Npld HNpld Nfc c1 Nb HNf c 2 c Npl1 Nplh Hpl3 Nple Hpl 1 500 Ht2 c1 3 Nf d Hr NOACHIAN Npl2 Nfd Nf Hpl Nfd 3 600 150 Npl2 HNf Npld n c1 Nplh Nfc Nfd HNf Nplh HNf c a Nplh 2 Nfd Nfd Nak c2 l ° –30 –30 Npl ° 200 T 2 c1 cs HNcht h Hpld Nplh Hpl3 HNf Nf Nplh Nplh Hpl3 h cs Hpld Nah 3 c1 g Nplh 2 Hpl Nb Hpl3 Nb 2 Npl 250 Npl a HNf HNf Nb i Hpl3 Npld Nb Hpl Npl cs HNcht c 3 c u 1 Nfd 2 1 Nfd H HNf c Nfc m Nfd c 1 Hpl3 2 cs Nplh c1 Hpl c Nf 3 2 a Nb Nplh Hr HNf Nf Nf a s 19 Hpl 3 Hpl3 Npld Nb i c1 i c Nf HNfc Hpl 2 1 HNt Npld 3 Nah Npl HNf a Nf Npl more highly modified by fluvial and sapping processes and sediment deposition. Cuestas and Basin-rim unit—Material of Argyre basin rim. Rugged, hilly material that in part resembles hilly c1 c1 s Nb Hpl3 2 hog backs formed by differential erosion of tilted beds of warped and extended crust unit (unit Nplh) and basement complex (unit Nb). Unit not recognized by Scott and Tanaka c1 H Nfd a Npld Nf Npl1 Older fractured material—Similar to intermediate-age fractured material but more rugged, (1986). Interpretation: Materials uplifted by the Argyre impact event Nb 4 Hpld Npl2 i m faulted, and cratered; deformation has destroyed primary morphologic characteristics 2 Nfd g c CRATER MATERIALS Ht c Hpl 1 Npl Nb h Nf 1 3 u 1 Basement complex—Forms knobs, mesas, and broad areas of prominent relief similar to hilly ° –35 unit but characterized by highly complicated structure of undifferentiated material; dissected in [Impact craters are assigned relative ages on basis of morphologic appearance and superposition relations. With increasing –35 l ° a HNf a HNf Npl age, craters become progressively more degraded and subdued in appearance, and their ejecta deposits are discernible only c1 Nplh places; embayed and (or) partly buried by materials of several younger units of the plateau and c1 n Nplh 2 HNfc h Npld HNade high-plains assemblage and Syria Planum and Tharsis Montes Formations. Interpretation: near rim crest. On correlation of map units, overlaps are indicated between crater-age classes and time-stratigraphic bounda- Hpl3 Hpl3 d Nf HNf c 1 ries. Craters with rim crests mostly >50 km in diameter are mapped. Scott and Tanaka (1986) did not separate impact crater 7 Nb T Assemblage of undifferentiated rocks of many origins, which may include igneous and meta- 1 Hch Hpl3 materials into three separate units] Npl Nfd c1 cs morphic rock outcrops and impact breccia, comprising complicated tectonic structure Nfc Nb HNade c c1 HNr c Nplh 1 cs Smooth crater floor material—Forms smooth to moderately rough floors of most impact craters HNf 1 Dissected and etched materials—Dissected and etched materials include the eroded rock and Nb Nfd Nplh c1 Hpl that have continuous rims. Interpretation: Mainly eolian, mass-wasting, or fluvial deposits Nfc 3 superposed sediment deposited by the resurfacing agent because they generally cannot be map- Hpld cs Hpl HNfc 11 HNf c1 3 ped separately; their relative-age ranges reflect both materials. The origin and rock type of the largely of Amazonian age Nfd HNcht Hpl HNpld 3 eroded rock are only inferred in most instances because channels and furrows have modified c2 Material of fresh to subdued craters—Slightly to moderately eroded craters having continuous Nf Nf Nak HNf Hpl Npl Npld original surface characteristics rims and ejecta blankets that extend at least one crater diameter beyond rim crest; central peaks 3 1 cs Nb Hpld 12 c1 8A HNr Younger dissected material—Areas of relatively young smooth materials along parts of the or central pits in places. Superposed on member 1 of the Tharsis Montes Formation and smooth c1 HNf c1 southern margin of the Thaumasia plateau; dissected by small, sinuous valleys and valley net- unit, intermediate and older fractured materials, fractured and dissected material, older ridged Nfd Hpl c Ht1 3 2 works that trend downslope from the Thaumasia highlands and southern part of the Coprates plains material, and subdued cratered and cratered materials of the plateau and high-plains HNpld cs c Npl1 Nb 1 cs HNade rise toward low-lying regions. Type area: lat 34.5° S., long 71°. Unit not recognized by Scott assemblage c1 Npl Nak 1 ° –40 and Tanaka (1986). Interpretation: Relatively young, alluvial and colluvial deposits, which may c1 Material of degraded craters—Deeply eroded craters; rims commonly incomplete; central peaks –40 ° Ht1 c include older rock surfaces, modified by fluvial and sapping processes scarce. Often embayed by Upper Noachian and younger materials 2 Hpl cs cs Hpl3 Nfc cs 3 HNplt Troughed material—Moderately cratered, uneven surface dissected by numerous large troughs cs HNf HNf c1 HNf HNf Hpl3 Hpl along the southeastern margin of the Thaumasia plateau centered at lat 29.5° S., long 61.0°; Contact—Dashed where approximately located or gradational c 3 1 Hpl3 Npl Hpl Npl many troughs abruptly terminated on up-slope end at large grabens and depressions; marked in 1 3 Npl HNade 1 Npld 1 places by dissected wrinkle ridges. Unit not recognized by Scott and Tanaka (1986). Interpreta- Depression or caldera tion: Fluvial erosion and sapping of easily eroded volcanic (possibly pyroclastic) materials or d c Hpl3 cs Dome—Interpreted as ancient volcano or older crustal materia c1 1 cs c Npl1 c2 c1 1 rock outcrops of the plateau and high-plains assemblage, which may include intermediate dis- Npld c1 c Npl c1 1 Npl Hpl 2 sected material (unit HNpld), fractured and dissected material (unit Nfd), older fractured mate- Crater rim crest cs 1 HNf 3 Ht1 c Npl1 Npld rial (unit Nf), and basement complex (unit Nb); troughs enlarged by fluvial and eolian activity 1 c 1 Nak Hpl Lowell 3 Hpl Npld and mass wasting Crater central peak Npl2 HNade c Hpl3 Hpl 3 1 cs HNpld Intermediate dissected material—Similar to younger dissected material but more well-defined Hpl3 3 cs c1 Hpl3 Crater central pit c1 5A Nah drainage systems. Unit not recognized by Scott and Tanaka (1986). Interpretation: Fluvial ero- Hpl Nfd c1 1 sion and sapping of materials, which largely include fractured and dissected material (unit ), Npl Hpl3 c1 3 2 Center of figure HNade Npl older fractured material (unit Nf), and basement complex (unit Nb), and structures along parts of ° Npld HNf 1 –45 –45 Npl HNafs ° the southern margin of the Thaumasia plateau Hpl3 Npld 1 Npld Older dissected material—Similar in occurrence and appearance to subdued cratered and cra- Npld Hpl3 c2 Hpl c1 Npl2 3 cs tered units but more highly dissected by channels and troughs; also occurs in places on ancient Hpl3 HNcht c 1 85° 80 Nak impact crater rims and near older flow and construct materials. Interpretation: Origin same as 90° ° Npl1 Hpl3 ° 75 Npld that of subdued cratered and cratered units but more eroded by fluvial and sapping processes Npld 95 ° Npl 2 c Nple Etched material—Irregular surface furrowed by sinuous, curved to flat-bottomed grooves and 1 1 Npl Npld Nah Npld 100° 70° Al troughs exhibiting irregular scarp edges.
Recommended publications
  • Ancient Drainage Basin of the Tharsis Region, Mars: Potential Source for Outflow Channel Systems and Putative Oceans Or Paleolakes

    Ancient Drainage Basin of the Tharsis Region, Mars: Potential Source for Outflow Channel Systems and Putative Oceans Or Paleolakes

    University of Central Florida STARS Faculty Bibliography 2000s Faculty Bibliography 1-1-2001 Ancient drainage basin of the Tharsis region, Mars: Potential source for outflow channel systems and putative oceans or paleolakes J. M. Dohm J. C. Ferris V. R. Baker R. C. Anderson T. M. Hare FindSee next similar page works for additional at: https:/ authors/stars.libr ary.ucf.edu/facultybib2000 University of Central Florida Libraries http://library.ucf.edu This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Faculty Bibliography at STARS. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Bibliography 2000s by an authorized administrator of STARS. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Recommended Citation Dohm, J. M.; Ferris, J. C.; Baker, V. R.; Anderson, R. C.; Hare, T. M.; Strom, R. G.; Barlow, N. G.; Tanaka, K. L.; Klemaszewski, J. E.; and Scott, D. H., "Ancient drainage basin of the Tharsis region, Mars: Potential source for outflow channel systems and putative oceans or paleolakes" (2001). Faculty Bibliography 2000s. 7973. https://stars.library.ucf.edu/facultybib2000/7973 Authors J. M. Dohm, J. C. Ferris, V. R. Baker, R. C. Anderson, T. M. Hare, R. G. Strom, N. G. Barlow, K. L. Tanaka, J. E. Klemaszewski, and D. H. Scott This article is available at STARS: https://stars.library.ucf.edu/facultybib2000/7973 JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH, VOL. 106, NO. El2, PAGES 32,943-32,958, DECEMBER 25, 2001 Ancient drainage basin of the Tharsis region, Mars: Potential source for outflow channel systems and putative oceans or paleolakes J. M. Dohm, • J.
  • The Subsurface Structure of Oblique Impact Craters

    The Subsurface Structure of Oblique Impact Craters

    The subsurface structure of oblique impact craters Dissertation vorgelegt von Dipl.-Geol. Michael H. Poelchau vom Fachbereich Geowissenschaften der Freien Universität Berlin zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades doctor rerum naturalium (Dr. rer. nat.) Berlin, 2010 The subsurface structure of oblique impact craters Dissertation vorgelegt von Dipl.-Geol. Michael H. Poelchau vom Fachbereich Geowissenschaften der Freien Universität Berlin zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades doctor rerum naturalium (Dr. rer. nat.) Berlin, 2010 Gutachter: 1. PD Dr. Thomas Kenkmann 2. Prof. Wolf-Uwe Reimold Tag der Disputation: 23.02.2010 Statement regarding the contributions of the author and others to this thesis This thesis is comprised of three published, peer-reviewed articles and one submitted manuscript, which each form separate chapters within this thesis. The chapters “Introduction” and “General Conclusions” were written especially for this thesis. The PhD candidate is the first author of two of these articles, and the second author of the third article. The PhD candidate is also the first author of a manuscript currently submitted to Earth and Planetary Science Letters. Therefore, these four chapters have their own introduction, methodology, discussion, conclusions and references. The articles and manuscripts used in this thesis are the following: Poelchau, M. H., and T. Kenkmann, 2008. Asymmetric signatures in simple craters as an indicator for an oblique impact direction, Meteoritcal and Planetary Science, 43, 2059-2072. Poelchau M. H., Kenkmann T. and Kring D. A., 2009. Rim uplift and crater shape in Meteor Crater: the effects of target heterogeneities and trajectory obliquity. Journal of Geophysical Research, 114, E01006, doi:10.1029/2008JE003235. Kenkmann, T.
  • USGS Geologic Investigations Series I-2650, Sheet 3 of 3

    USGS Geologic Investigations Series I-2650, Sheet 3 of 3

    GEOLOGIC INVESTIGATION SERIES I–2650 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Prepared for the ATLAS OF MARS: THAUMASIA REGION U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION SHEET 3 OF 3 85° 90° 80° 9 0.6 8.15 0.54 95° 75° 8 0.5 ) 7 2 tb ) 70 2 100° ° KM 6 0.4 2 KM 2 5 ch 0.3 4 ° 65° 105 3 2.98 0.2 r DENSITY FAULT (NUMBER/10 0.14 Nfd (KILOMETER/10 2 1.77 FAULT-LENGTH DENSITY FAULT-LENGTH 0.1 0.08 Hpld 1 0.61 0.02 0.16 7 x 10–3 ° 60 0 0 110 Sinai Planum Thaumasia ° ch 1234 5 1234 5 ABSTAGE STAGE Planum Figure 15. Histograms representing areal density of fault length (A) and number of faults (B) per stage in Syria Planum Thaumasia region of Mars. ° 55 115 ° ° –15 –15 ° NO. CRATERS LARGER STAGES FOSSAE OTHER STRUCTURES SYSTEM THAN 2, 5, AND 16 KM N 0 25 KILOMETERS HISTORY DIAMETER N 0 100 KILOMETERS PER 1,000,000 KM2 2516 Figure 19. Furrow (arrow heads) which occurs along a preexisting Figure 10. Stage 3 tributary channels of southeast flank of Coprates 40 or less rise dissect wrinkle ridges (r) of younger ridged plains material and join graben downslope of large Hesperian impact crater (broad arrow) that into first-order channels (ch) at a break in slope. Triangular faceted may have formed as a result of the impact event. (Viking image Solis 50 bedforms (tb; interpreted as cuestas) indicate differential erosion of 606A50); resolution 249 m/pixel) tilted rock layers.
  • USGS Geologic Investigations Series I-2650, Sheet 2 of 3

    USGS Geologic Investigations Series I-2650, Sheet 2 of 3

    GEOLOGIC INVESTIGATION SERIES I–2650 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Prepared for the ATLAS OF MARS: THAUMASIA REGION U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION SHEET 2 OF 3 85° 90° 80° NO. CRATERS LARGER Contact—Dashed where approximately located or gradational 75 95° ° THAN 2, 5, AND 16 KM STAGES FOSSAE OTHER STRUCTURES SYSTEM Fault or graben—Bar and ball on downthrown side of fault; dotted where HISTORY DIAMETER PER 1,000,000 KM2 buried 100° 70° 2516 Scarp—Line marks top of slope; barb points downslope. Forms contact in places 40 or less Mare-type (wrinkle) ridge—Symbol on ridge crest; dashed where buried 105° 65° Subdued mare-type (wrinkle) ridge 50 Broad (>3 km wide), nearly flat-topped ridge 60 ° 60 110 Sinai Planum Thaumasia ° Narrow (<2 km wide), sharp-crested linear ridge 70 Narrow (<3 km wide), subdued ridge 80 Syria Planum Planum Depression or caldera 90 AMAZONIAN 100 Crater rim crest ° 55 115 ° 13 Crater central peak ° –15 –15 ° 5 Crater central pit 150 2 Center of figure 200 2 300 50 Solis Marineris/ Valles Noctis Labyrinthus Syria Planum Planum Claritas Fossae 400 ° –20 –20 ° 75 Daedalia 4 Warrego Valles Warrego 500 Thaumasia Fossae 600 100 Wrinkle ridges Wrinkle Coracis, Melas, and Nectaris Fossae Thaumasia highland rifts Planum 700 Broad ridges and large scarps 3 HESPERIAN 800 Coprates rise 900 150 1000 Argyre structures 1200 200 25 2 ° –25 –25 ° 17A 300 75 9A ?? 400 100 14 10 1 500 NOACHIAN d 600 150 ? n a 200 l ° –30 –30 ° T h 250 h g a i ? ? ? ?? ? u H m a (Schultz and Tanaka, 1994) and has morphologic features (fig.
  • The Formation of Tharsis on Mars: What the Line-Of-Sight Gravity Is Telling Us Jean-Pierre Williams,1 Francis Nimmo,2 William B

    The Formation of Tharsis on Mars: What the Line-Of-Sight Gravity Is Telling Us Jean-Pierre Williams,1 Francis Nimmo,2 William B

    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Caltech Authors JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH, VOL. 113, E10011, doi:10.1029/2007JE003050, 2008 Click Here for Full Article The formation of Tharsis on Mars: What the line-of-sight gravity is telling us Jean-Pierre Williams,1 Francis Nimmo,2 William B. Moore,3 and David A. Paige3 Received 27 November 2007; revised 26 June 2008; accepted 27 August 2008; published 31 October 2008. [1] Line-of-sight (LOS) spacecraft acceleration profiles from the Radio Science Experiment and topography from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) instrument of the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) are analyzed to estimate the effective elastic thickness (Te) for various regions of Tharsis. We identify a buried basin flanking the Thaumasia Highlands at the southeastern margin of Tharsis. Assuming that this basin results from lithospheric flexure from surface loading by the Thaumasia Highlands, we fit LOS profiles across the feature with a thin-shell, elastic flexure model and find the mountain belt to reflect a value of Te 20 km consistent with a Noachian formation age. We also determine admittances from LOS profiles for five regions across Tharsis and fit them with theoretical admittances calculated using the flexural model. Crater density, surface density, and predominant surface age are found to vary systematically across Tharsis while Te does not. The highest surface density and lowest Te values are obtained for the western portion of Tharsis where crater densities are lowest. Our results imply the majority of the topographic rise was emplaced within the Noachian irrespective of the surface ages.
  • Thirty-Eighth Lunar and Planetary Science Conference Program Of

    Thirty-Eighth Lunar and Planetary Science Conference Program Of

    38th LUNAR AND PLANETARY SCIENCE CONFERENCE PROGRAM OF TECHNICAL SESSIONS SPONSORED BY LUNAR AND PLANETARY INSTITUTE NASA JOHNSON SPACE CENTER LPI THIRTY-EIGHTH LUNAR AND PLANETARY SCIENCE CONFERENCE Program of Technical Sessions March 12–16, 2007 Sponsored by Lunar and Planetary Institute NASA Johnson Space Center Program Committee Stephen Mackwell, Co-Chair, Lunar and Planetary Institute Eileen Stansbery, Co-Chair, NASA Johnson Space Center Robert Anderson, Jet Propulsion Laboratory Nancy Chabot, Johns Hopkins University Catherine Corrigan, Johns Hopkins University David Draper, University of New Mexico Herbert Frey, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Yulia Goreva, University of Arizona Tracy Gregg, University at Buffalo Terry Hurford, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Ross Irwin, Smithsonian Institution Randy Korotev, Washington University at St. Louis Don Korycansky, University of California Santa Cruz Monika Kress, San Jose State University Rachel Lentz, University of Hawaii Karl Mitchell, Jet Propulsion Laboratory Daniel Nunes, Lunar and Planetary Institute Elisabetta Pierazzo, University of Arizona Louise Prockter, Johns Hopkins University Frans Rietmeijer, University of New Mexico Paul Schenk, Lunar and Planetary Institute Stephanie Shipp, Lunar and Planetary Institute Suzanne Smrekar, Jet Propulsion Laboratory David Vaniman, Los Alamos National Laboratory Michael Weisberg, Kingsborough College and the University of New York David Williams, Arizona State University James Zimbelman, Smithsonian Institution Michael Zolensky, NASA Johnson Space Center GUIDE TO TECHNICAL SESSIONS AND ACTIVITIES Sunday Evening, 5:00 p.m. LPI Hess Room Registration LPI Great Room Reception LPI Berkner Rooms Open House Education and Public Outreach Displays: p. 1 Accessing the Solar System Through Educational Products Monday Morning, 8:30 a.m. Crystal Ballroom A Mars Polar and Glacial Processes p.
  • Crater–Fault Interactions: a Metric for Dating Fault Zones on Planetary Surfaces

    Crater–Fault Interactions: a Metric for Dating Fault Zones on Planetary Surfaces

    ARTICLE IN PRESS EPSL-09793; No of Pages 6 Earth and Planetary Science Letters xxx (2009) xxx–xxx Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Earth and Planetary Science Letters journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/epsl Crater–fault interactions: A metric for dating fault zones on planetary surfaces Matthew R. Smith ⁎, Alan R. Gillespie, David R. Montgomery, J. Batbaatar Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-1310, United States of America article info abstract Article history: Constructing a tectonic history of a planetary surface requires determining precise fault ages, a task not Received 9 December 2008 always possible with current analytical methods. Here we introduce a new method to constrain the ages of Received in revised form 3 April 2009 faults, improving upon earlier methods that used cross-cutting relationships with crater-dated host surfaces, Accepted 15 April 2009 and apply it to faulted terrains by counting all craters and categorizing them into “faulted,”“unfaulted” and Available online xxxx “unclear” types to date deformation directly. Additionally, we construct a simple probabilistic model to Editor: T. Spohn account for regions of low fault density. This new technique is applied to the tectonically complex Thaumasia plateau, Mars, to assess the timing of regional faulting and demonstrate its usefulness and ease of application. Keywords: © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Mars craters impacts chronology tectonics Thaumasia techniques 1. Introduction craters which post-date the feature can then be used to date its formation directly. This technique has been previously employed by Previous studies that have dated faulting events on planetary Wichman and Schultz (1986) to study coarse-scale martian ex- surfaces have relied on the geologic principle of cross-cutting tensional tectonics and has been recently used by Fassett and Head relationships to constrain their range of possible ages (e.g.
  • Lithosphere.Gsapubs.Org on November 28, 2012

    Lithosphere.Gsapubs.Org on November 28, 2012

    Downloaded from lithosphere.gsapubs.org on November 28, 2012 Lithosphere An episodic slab-rollback model for the origin of the Tharsis rise on Mars: Implications for initiation of local plate subduction and final unification of a kinematically linked global plate-tectonic network on Earth An Yin Lithosphere 2012;4;553-593 doi: 10.1130/L195.1 Email alerting services click www.gsapubs.org/cgi/alerts to receive free e-mail alerts when new articles cite this article Subscribe click www.gsapubs.org/subscriptions/ to subscribe to Lithosphere Permission request click http://www.geosociety.org/pubs/copyrt.htm#gsa to contact GSA Copyright not claimed on content prepared wholly by U.S. government employees within scope of their employment. Individual scientists are hereby granted permission, without fees or further requests to GSA, to use a single figure, a single table, and/or a brief paragraph of text in subsequent works and to make unlimited copies of items in GSA's journals for noncommercial use in classrooms to further education and science. This file may not be posted to any Web site, but authors may post the abstracts only of their articles on their own or their organization's Web site providing the posting includes a reference to the article's full citation. GSA provides this and other forums for the presentation of diverse opinions and positions by scientists worldwide, regardless of their race, citizenship, gender, religion, or political viewpoint. Opinions presented in this publication do not reflect official positions of the Society.
  • The Origin of Warrego Valles: a Case Study for Fluvial Valley Formation on Early Mars

    The Origin of Warrego Valles: a Case Study for Fluvial Valley Formation on Early Mars

    Lunar and Planetary Science XXIX 1933.pdf THE ORIGIN OF WARREGO VALLES: A CASE STUDY FOR FLUVIAL VALLEY FORMATION ON EARLY MARS. Virginia C. Gulick1,2, James Dohm3, Ken Tanaka3, Trent Hare3, 1MS 245-3, Space Sciences Divi- sion, NASA-Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, email: [email protected], 2also at Dept. of Astronomy, NMSU, Las Cruces, NM, 3U.S.Geological Survey, Flagstaff, AZ 86001. Warrego Valles (Fig. 1) is perhaps the most for hundreds to thousands of kilometers is difficult to ÒfamousÓ of all Martian valleys as it appears as fre- understand if the source of the water was rainfall. quently in undergraduate astronomy textbooks as it Gulick [2,3,6] and Gulick et al. [7] argue that does in scientific talks. It is almost universally cited as the localized erosion pattern at Warrego is more con- evidence for rainfall during a warm, wet early Mars. sistent with a localized water source. Two possibilities Thus understanding the origin of Warrego is central to are hydrothermally driven ground-water outflow [2,6] answering the question, ÒHow did the ancient valley and melting of a snowpack by locally high geothermal networks form?Ó Did they require a substantially dif- heat flow [2,7]. The radial drainage pattern of War- ferent climate with global temperatures above freezing rego Valles may provide insight as to its formation as or could they have formed under less clement climatic it appears centered approximately on a 35 km diameter conditions involving geothermal/hydrothermal proc- impact crater [2,3,6]. However, a closer study reveals esses as both sources of heat energy and drivers of that the valleys have formed on and have delineated a ground-water outflow.
  • The Thaumasia “Rift”, Mars – Is It a Rift? E

    The Thaumasia “Rift”, Mars – Is It a Rift? E

    Lunar and Planetary Science XXXIV (2003) 1541.pdf THE THAUMASIA “RIFT”, MARS – IS IT A RIFT? E. Hauber1 and P. Kronberg2, 1DLR-Institute of Space Sensor Technology and Planetary Exploration, Rutherfordstr. 2, 12489 Berlin, Germany; [email protected], 2Institute of Geology and Paleontology, TU Clausthal, Leibnizstr. 10, 38678 Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany. Summary: We describe the morphology of a large evident than in segments A and B. Steeply W-dipping and complex graben structure in the western Thauma- faults dominate the eastern border, with fault lengths sia region (the “Thaumasia graben” [1] or TG). We of 50-90 km and observable displacements from 1.3- consider possible fault geometries, determine exten- 2.0 km. While the master faults of the eastern graben sion, and discuss shortly possible models for its origin. flank can be traced over >500 km along strike, the Background: Situated at the western border of the structure of the western flank is rather inconspicious. Thaumasia plateau, the TG is one of the most promi- South of ~24°S, the TG crosses some WNW/ESE nent fault-bounded structures on Mars. It is ~100 km striking topographic highs of rugged Noachian terrain, wide, >1000 km long, and strikes N15°-20°W (Fig. (Fig. 1b). They represent a so far undescribed con- 1a). Several authors [e.g., 1,2,3,4] ascribe it to rifting, tinuation of the ancient highland belt toward NW, while others [5,6,7] favour right-lateral strike-slip where it is successively buried under younger Tharsis faulting accomodating a relative motion of Thaumasia lavas.
  • Analysis of a Thaumasia Planum Rift Through Automatic Mapping and Strain Characterization of Normal Faults

    Analysis of a Thaumasia Planum Rift Through Automatic Mapping and Strain Characterization of Normal Faults

    Planetary and Space Science 59 (2011) 1210–1221 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Planetary and Space Science journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/pss Analysis of a Thaumasia Planum rift through automatic mapping and strain characterization of normal faults David Alegre Vaz a,b,n a Centre for Geophysics of the University of Coimbra, Av. Dr. Dias da Silva, 3000-134 Coimbra, Portugal b International Research School of Planetary Sciences, Universita´ d’Annunzio, Viale Pindaro, 42, 65127 Pescara, Italia article info abstract Article history: A new semi-automatic technique is presented to map and characterize tectonic features on Mars. Received 7 April 2010 Automatic strain estimation associated with normal faults is achieved for synthetic and real fault scarps Received in revised form on Mars. 29 June 2010 The application of this new technique to a small rift located in Thaumasia Planum allowed the Accepted 1 July 2010 segmentation of the rift. The defined segmentation corresponds to changes in the strikes of faults that Available online 7 July 2010 delimitate rift areas with different architecture. Keywords: The rift is formed by several pull-apart basins developed due to the reactivation of previously Pull-apart basins formed tectonic structures. The strain spatial distribution and the overall geometry are consistent with Tectonic strain quantification a roughly East–West left-lateral shear transfer zone between two different lithospheric blocks. Automatic lineament mapping & 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Thaumasia Planum 1. Introduction concept of scale dependence. Despite similar spatial resolution of the data, a different scale of analysis is an important factor that Imagery datasets constitute the basis for tectonic studies on can influence the interpretations.
  • Lunar and Planetary Science XXIX the ORIGIN of WARREGO VALLES

    Lunar and Planetary Science XXIX the ORIGIN of WARREGO VALLES

    Lunar and Planetary Science XXIX 1933.pdf THE ORIGIN OF WARREGO VALLES: A CASE STUDY FOR FLUVIAL VALLEY FORMATION ON EARLY MARS. Virginia C. Gulick 1"2,James Dohm 3, Ken Tanaka 3, Trent Hare 3, 1MS 245-3, Space Sciences Divi- sion, NASA-Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, email: [email protected], 2also at Dept. of Astronomy, NMSU, Las Cruces, NM, 3U.S.Geological Survey, Flagstaff, AZ g6001. Warrego Valles (Fig. I) is perhaps the most for hundreds to thousands of kilometers is difficult to "famous" of all Martian valleys as it appears as fre- understand if the source of the water was rainfall. quently in undergraduate astronomy textbooks as it Gulick I2,3,61 and Gulick et al. 171 argue that does in scientific talks. It is almost universally cited as the localized erosion pattern at Warrego is more con- evidence for rainfall during a warm, wet early Mars. sistent with a localized water source. Two possibilities Thus understanding the origin of Warrego is central to are hydrothermally driven ground-water outflow [2,6] answering the question, "How did the ancient valley and melting of a snowpack by locally high geothermal networks form?" Did they require a substantially dif- heat flow [2,7]. The radial drainage pattern of War- ferent climate with global temperatures above freezing rego Vailes may provide insight as to its formation as or could they have formed under less clement climatic it appears centered approximately on a 35 km diameter conditions involving geothermal/hydrothermal proc- impact crater 12,3,61.